Aeroplane.



C. MUNKER.

AEROPLANE.

A APPLlCATlON FILED DEC. 13, 1909. 1,152,432.

s bis Patented Sept. T, 1915.

@einbau/hoz.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

CONRAD MUNKER, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AEROPLANE.

To ail idiom/it may concern.' y i! Be itl known that I, CONRAD MUNKER, a citizen of the United i States, .residing at lllashington, inthe District of Columbia, have invented certain new andiiseful Improvements in eroplanes, of which the fol# lowing is a specification.

rfhis invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes and particularlyrefers to improved means for controlling and directing the flight of aeroplanes 'or heavier-,than-air flying machines.

ln the present state of the art it is the practice of aviators toy use vertically moving ruddeis, horizontal superposed shifting planes,`lexible flight sustaining elements and warping mechanisms to vary the air pressures against such supporting planes in order to direct and control the flight of the machines. The use of vertically movingr ruddershas not given uniform satisfaction, since such devices do notl give the aviator.A adequate control of the moving planes and machines thus equipped are not as flexible in their movements as is desired and necessary to the safety and etiiciency of the machines. The control afforded by the warpingA or tilting of the planes is not wholly desirable, since such warping or tilting of the planes tends to weaken the material of which the frame work of the machine is made and lessens the stability of the machine as a Whole. hisI manipulation of the planes does not give the aviator that; measure of control. that enables him to instantly vary the air pressures thereagainst in order to quickly and safely guide the machine over a circuitous course, or to correct any undesirable or dangerous lateral slants, such'as are produced by violent side gusts. t

Broadly speaking, the present invention is designed t-o provide an improved aero` plane which will overcome the above aii`d other objections'to the adopted methods of controlling the supporting planes.

One of the objects of the invention is the construction of an aeroplane having means for proportionately varying the air pressures against the supportingplanes of the machine, in the manner of a birds wings.

Another object of the invention is the construction of an improved aeroplane having means for varying the air pressure against the supporting planes Aof Vthe machine' arran ed so that the head resistance of the mac ine will not be increased thereby.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept.. v, i915.

Application filed December 13, 1909. Serial No, 532. 856.

still-furtherobject-of lthcfinvention is the construction of an ,improved aeroplane having supporting planes adapted to be operated in such a manner that the resistance normally presented by said planes to the air can be proportionately -varied at will, thus giving the aviator a control over the planes of the machine that will enable him to direct the same along a straight forward path with the least-'resistance or round a curve with the greatest facility and safety, and thereby overcoming several of the inherent defects of present machines.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain combinations, constructions andarrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view, showing the machine as in full flight along a straight coursegFig. Q is a similar View showing the machine rounding a curve; Fig. 3 is another plan view, showing thermachine in position for ascension or descension; Fig. 4 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of one end of the machine, showing the lateral planes or wings thereof and the means for operating the same so that the air 'pressures can be varied; Fig. 5 is a detail transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a detail transverse sectional view taken on line G-G of Fig. 5; Fig` 7 is a detail sectional view of a set of pulleys used in operating the planes; and Fig. 8 is a detail view, showing the foot operated lever for controlling the pulleys and the planes. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan view, showing a modification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative of the invention and accordingly are not drawn to scale, l denotes the central frame, which may be of any approved construction, and 2 and 3 the Y lateral plane or wing frames, each being Ishown in the drawings rigidly secured to and the steering rudders are connected byV suitable operating means, as rods, not

'each wing frame:

The flexible planes are secured at their shown, to the central part of the machine so thatthe aviator can have adequate control over the same.l A motor 6 is positioned on the forward end of the frame 1 for driving a suitable propeller 7.

The lateral plane or wing frames 2 and 3 are made alike. Each one of said'frames comprises curved bars 8, disposed parallel to the side bars of the central frame 1, and bars 9 disposed transversel The bars 8 are so arranged1 with respect to the barst) that each 'wing or lateral plane is made up of a p1uralit...of divisions, rectan lar in shape and- 'a apted-to receive the flexible planes 10,. ch-'are 'movable within said div1sions,fo qfwhich are shownffor forward ends to spring rotated rollers 11 which are journaled between the 9 o V the wing frames 2 and 3, while the other ends ofsaid llexiblefplanes are secured to operating ropes or chains 12,'wh1ch extend through openings injthe bars 9 to the bperating pulleys-. In -order to ulde the planes 10 between fthebars 8 an to overcome a great part of the resistance which would result from a direct bearing of said lanes ou the bars, guide rods 13 are'placed between the fabric ofthe flexible planes or are secured theretoin any other manner, and the outwardly projecting ends of said guide rods are disposed` in guideways 14 ormed in the curved bars 8. The ends o the rods 13 are preferably provided. with frictionl rollers f 15 adapted to allow free action ol.Y said rodswhic h construction also tends to prevent air from passing between the edges of the planes 1Q and the bars 8.

The'o rating-cords 12 are'passed over guide pu leys-12l and are connected at the1r rear'end's tomultiple. pulleys 16, which are mounted on shafts 17,1 secured 1n place to vertical frame members 18.; On the outer ends of the shafts 17, hand wheels 19 are mounted for the. purpose of operating the pulleys. I contemplate the construction of mechanism whereby an even operation of the, two sets of winding pulleys can lbe effected simultaneously with the manipulation of one 'of these sets. Between the multiple pulleys 16 the seat 20 for the aviator ma'ivhbe positioned.

e ulleysv 16 comprlse a unlt of three grov wheels of different diameters. The cord connected tothe outer flexible plane of each wingframe is connected to the lar est of these wheels, 21; the cord connecte -to the next innermost flexible plane is con; nect'ed td the next largest wheel 22; while the next plane wheel 28. The dilerences 1n the diameters 'PIM or small, as ex e shown, the largest wheel 2l is 1C me dictates.

to said`A bars 8.'

tion of the supportingair .present custom to 'war the supporting planes so that the air un er the 'faster mov- .of the ma vthe machine. f is connected to the smallest-v twice the diameter of the adjacent wheel 22 while the wheel 22 is twice the diameter o the wheel 23. Two planes 10are rigidly secured, adjacent to the inner ends of theV wing frames, thus insuring a constant sup- 'lo portln body for maintaining an even balance o the machine. I

When the aviator desires to start the machine or to descend, the full spread or sup,

porting area of the planes is desired. But 'l5 'when the machine has acquired a good s d, it is desirablethat the resistance to t e progress of the machine be diminished, l

or the area of the supporting planes be lessened so that a greater speed-can -be l0v achieved with a given amount of ower. In describin or rounding curves, tiiepart or side off tie machine nearest the center of the circle of which` the curve is a part travels'at a lower speed than the other side the l5' result being that said outer side of the maj chine tends to rise, thus unbalancin 'the machine. --The shorter the curve an the greater the speed, the greater and more dantous is the amount or degree of lateral-- isplacement of the machinel as a whole.

The air under the faster moving side ofl the machine comp to a greater degree than the air under the slower movin side of the machine. To vary this condl- 95 j strata, it is the in g side of the machine -will flow from'said.' si e with greater ease, and the c ine to turn turtle will be'- posed. It is also the custom to elfeckfthls result by other methods which are applied' Y ina manner similar to the warping method if, as previousl pointed out. In thepl'lasitaeroplane, t e difference in the air sures against the faster moving ande the` -A slower moving side of the aeroplaneis-overcome by reducing the area of the supportin' planes in such a. manner that the airfwill flow through the frame divisions in. which. j the flexible planes-work, thus permittin the escape of a. portion ofthe volume o "ai sustainin and lifting that ide of the ma chine. T e result of this arrangement bein i that the machine will present, speedv -consi ered, an equal resistance .to the air on-bo'th sides, when a curve is bein described'gio rounded, and the machinewi v if along a given straight course at a hgh of'speed, the flexible planes mayb" ated sothat'the supportin lanefji il be diminished in propgvtion tojthe'speed-of y From xan examination of Figs. l and A2,414" can benenthat theouterplfaaes o4 a... tm.

et tbl ylanesv am penal a lessergdegm than weer-ite with a foot engaged member 28.

planes and to a greater degree than the inner planes. This is accomp'lishedby the pulleys 1G. The peripheries of the larger wheels of said pulleys more or rotate at a greater speed. than'the peripheries of the smaller wheels thereof, so that said larger Wheels will, in a given time, wind a greater amount of cord or chain. The flexible planes open forwardly by reason of the power of the spring rotated rollers ll, and are closed rearwardly by manual effort, `ererted on the wheels att-'ached to said pulleys. f l

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, where the full area of the flight sustaining elements or sipporting planes is shown, it

'will be observed that a comparatively large opposing surface is presented to any side gust. Should a side gust strike the planes, it will exert its greatest. lifting power or leverage on the extreme outer planes, and to counteract this, I decrease the area of the planes in greater proportion toward the outside than toward the center of' the machine, after the manner of a birds wings, asillustrated in Fig. 1. In order to hold the flexiblev planes at a` given position, I have provided a lever controlled ratchet mechanism. This mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel 24, which issuitably secured to each of the pulleys 16, a lever pawl 25, which is pivotally secured to a bracket 26, and is operatively connected to a depending foot Vrod 27, provided on its lower end By applying foot pressure on' the member 28, the lever pawl isdisengaged from the ratchet wheel 2l and the restraining action on )the spring rollers l1 is thereby removed, so that said rollers will' automatically open the flexible planes. When the planes' have been opened to the entent desired, pressure .on

the'member 28 is lreleased, thus holding the planes in their adjusted positions. When it is desired to close the planes, power is applied to the wheels 19.

lllhile I have shown and'described the invention as adapted to monoplanes, it may equally as well be applied to biplanes and the like. It may be also said here, that although I have shown a plurality' of iiexi blc planes on both wing lframes,and means to operate them simultaneously 'and at different speeds, it is obvious that Inlay eniploy a single llexible plane, on the outer end of each wing frame, and may employ means for operating these planes independently from each other. In some instanties,

I may iind it desirable to maire thenear' edges of the individual supporting planes angular, so that such rear edges present a. continuous diagonal edge from the center toward the outer side, irrespective of the area of the supporting planes as a Whole, as shown in `iFig. 9 of the drawings.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A sustaining plane, for an aeroplane, provided with openings, extending from near its center to near its ends; sets of Inovable elements arranged within the openings, and means to move the elements in each set at dii'l'erent speeds with relation to each other.

A sustaining plane, forv an aeroplane, provided with openings, extending from near its center to near its ends; sets of Inovable elements arranged within the openings, and common means'connected with the ele ments in each' set and adapted to move the outer element at a greater rate of speed than the adjacent inner element. ,p

3. A' sustaining plane for an aeroplane,

'adapted to be arranged transversely to the line of flight; and means to longitudinally toward its ends.

4. An aeroplane including supporting i planes composed of independent folding seetions, and operating means connected to the independent sections for folding the same proportionately to-their distances from the central portion of the aeroplane.

5. Anaeroplane including a central frame,

va plurality of flexible supporting` planes arranged on each side of the central frame in parallelism to each other arid to the line'of 'flight of the machine, and operating means connected independently to the flexible planes for diminishing the same to reduce 1.

the air opposing areas thereof for regulation of thev diil'erent speeds of the machine.

6. An aeroplane including a central longitudinal frame, lateral planes projecting from said central frame and having spaced cross bars, spring operated rollers jour'laled between the forward ends of said cross bars,4

flexible planes carried about therollers and 'extending between said cross bars, operating cords carried by the lateral frames and connected to the free ends of the flexible planes, and pluralities of pulleys varying in diameter carried: by said central frame and re-` ceiving the ,opposite ends of said cords.l

7. An aeroplano-provided with a plurality of planes movable parallel to the line of igh't of themachine and means for` moving the outerlplanes at a greater speed thanl the adjacent planes. y

,8. Azsustai-ning plane foren. aeroplane,

'adapted to be arrangedtransversely to the one frame being operated independently of the planes of the other frame.

10. An aeroplane provided with a plurality of inner and outer planes, and means for moving the -planes with .relation t'o each other, and the outer planes ata greater rateA of speed than the inner planes. 11. An aeroplane having a rigid central frame, wing frames ri'gi lv connected thereto, bars forming. guides o the wing frames,

spring rollers journaled between the bars, flexible planes connected to the rollers movable between the bars, -guide rods secured to vthe planes adapted to ride in the bars, wind ing ropes connected to the planes, and multiple pulleys having Wheels of different diam' eters connected to the ropes.

12. An aeroplane having a central frame Wing frames connected thereto, bars on the wing frames having guideways, sprin rollers journaled to the Wing frames, exible planes connected to the rollers and movable between the bars, guide rods on 'the lanes having rollers on their ends'movable 1n the guidevvays` of said bars, ropes connected to the planes, multiple pulleys connected to the ropes having wheels of differentA diameters adapted to wind the ropes at different speeds, and means for holding the planes in fixed position.

13. An vaeroplane provided with a central frame, wing yframes secured t o the forward bars and prevent air from passing through and depending foot operated rods for-disengaging the lever pawls from the ratchet wheels.

` 14. .An aeroplane provided with a central frame, wing frames secured to the forward end thereof, guide bars on the wing frames dividing said frames into rectangular divisions having lengths parallel tothe central frame, flexible planes rollable at different speeds between the guide bars, and means carried by the planes adapted to guide the movements of the planes between the guide the edges of the planes and the bars.

15. In an aeroplane, a central frame, sustaining planes connectedwith the frame and extending upon opposite sides thereof, transversely tothe line of flight; and means whereby the sustaining planes may be longi# t5 tudinally tapered independently of each other, substantially as described.

16. An aeroplane having a. central frame, horizontal lateralA frames carried by the central frame and being curved transversely downward at their rear ends to approach a vertical plane, a plurality of longitudi-v nally foldable flexible planes arranged in@ thel lateral frames ,and operating means con?? nected to the flex1bleplanes for moving -same proportionately to their distances fromf' the central frame. g

17 f.A'n aeroplaneincluding a central frame, laterally extending frames carried by the central frame and having transverse sec- Vtions therein, yflexible planes movable in the transverse sec'tlons of said Alateral frames,

and means carried by said central frame for movingthe flexible planes f'ore and aft to vary the'efl'ectiv'e vareas thereof..

In vtestimony whereof I afiix my signature inpresence of two witnesses. Y CONRAD .MUNKER y Witnesses:

SAML. C.- HILL, l JOHN P. DUFFIE. 

